déplacement

Forms

déplacement m (plural déplacements)^[1] First written desplacement in the 16th century.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is formed from French déplacer (“to move”) + -ment.^[2][1][4] The verb déplacer, first recorded in 1404, is formed from French dé- + place, or is the opposite of the old verb emplacer.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first record, in the 16th century as desplacement in Pierre Dampmartin, has the sense “the action of moving something”.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

From the moving of a thing the word passed to the action of moving oneself, recorded in Rousseau's La Nouvelle Héloïse (1761).^[2][3] In 1773 it became a term of seamanship for the weight of the volume of water a ship takes the place of when it floats.^[2][3]

Littré records the transfer of an official to another post.^[6] In psychoanalysis déplacement des affects is found from about 1900, and the Grand Robert dates it to Régis and Hesnard in 1914.^[7]

Timeline

• 16th century – Desplacement appears in Pierre Dampmartin.^[2]
• 1761 – Rousseau uses it for moving oneself.^[2][3]
• 1773 – Bourdé de Villehuet's dictionary of seamanship gives the sense “displacement of a ship”.^[2]
• 1914 – Régis and Hesnard use it in psychoanalysis.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. The moving of something from one place or position to another: le déplacement d'une armoire.^[8][9][2] In medicine, the shifting of an organ from its normal position.^[8]
2. (nautical) The displacement of a ship, the weight of the water it takes the place of when afloat: un navire de 5 000 tonnes de déplacement.^[8][2]
3. The transfer of an employee or official to another post.^[8][9][6]
4. Moving from one place to another, travelling; a trip made for work: être en déplacement.^[10][9] (familiar) Ça vaut le déplacement: it is worth the journey.^[10]
5. (psychoanalysis) The displacement of affects onto another object.^[7]

Related words

• déplacer
• place
• emplacement
• remplacer

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ a b Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
7. ^ a b c Quemada, Bernard, ed. (1959–2006), Datations et documents lexicographiques (Base historique du vocabulaire français, BHVF), Paris: Klincksieck / CNRS / Champion; ATILF
8. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ a b c Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)
10. ^ a b Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)